Unicode block for programming related symbols and codepoints?

[Jean-François Colson]

Le 08/02/15 21:15, Alfred Zett a écrit :
> Hello everyone,
>
> is there such a unicode block for programming related codepoints?
>
> Conventional search engines as well as wolfram alpha can't answer 
> that, with the former one leading to all the programming problems that 
> occur...
>
> If such a block doesn't exist, I'd like to make a proposal - if 
> possible - to add one with at least the following codepoints/characters:
>
> - Indentation codepoint, with no fixed defined graphical 
> representation. For indentation based programming languages.

That wouldn’t be compliant with existing languages and future languages 
might use any existing character.

> Because:
> -- specific clients may want to show it different (for example as 
> arrows, lines etc., using another color):

Can’t good editors display tabs in a different color when required ?

> --- browsers could let the web page creator let decide the visual 
> representation (character and size) via CSS
> --- the same with editors, independent from the actual font
> --- in case of visual impairment, the user could even change the 
> accoustical representation if the editor allows it
> -- unlike a space symbol, it wouldn't need more than one character per 
> indentation
> -- unlike tabs or space, it wouldn't be whitespace
> -- unlike normal arrow characters, one could customize the length in 
> an editor and wouldn't have to insert extra spaces for a better visual 
> imagery
>
> - A codepoint for string literal quotes, that would spare one the 
> escaping.

I rarely escape quotes.
In a text, I use ’ (U+2019) as an apostrophe and «»“”‘’ as quotes, so I 
don’t need to escape them.
When I use PHP to generate some HTML code, I try to alternate simple and 
double quotes as much as possible. That way I rarely need to escape them.

> - A statement separator symbol.

To replace the semicolon in C and the languages based on its syntax?

> - Other ideas?

Aren’t you trying to reinvent APL?

>
> You may now think, this is highly specific and you are right.
> However, so are EMOJI signs, in particular those like PINE DECORATION.
>
> These days, there are a lot of tools to create small embedded 
> scripting languages and DSLs, which are used in-program in special 
> editors. And there is a lot of people using them.
> Exactly these could really profit from such a codeblock instead of 
> using conventional ASCII subset characters.
> Also, there is a lot of potential with really good text editors and 
> IDEs where semantics may matter a lot.
>
> Excuse my english, I hope this was understandable.
>
> Best regards,
>
> A. Z.
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